Lorely Listens

Written by Lorely Burt MP and published in Solihull Times on Wed 10th May 2006

Saturdays are normally a very busy day for me, as I do a surgery in Touchwood and then race over to Shirley Library to do a second one.

Passing the Fire Station on Streetsbrook Road, I had often seen cheery fire fighters waving a sponge, beckoning passing drivers for their charity car wash.

Having no customers in Shirley last Saturday, my most pressing job at the library being to change library books, there was time to stop off and get my car cleaned.

Chatting to the fireman taking the money (there's no set fee, just pay what you like), he explained they were fund raising to send a team of fire personnel to Romania to build a children's home for street children rescued from living in railway sidings.

They needed £35,000, and had started raising the money before Christmas. Last week they discovered they were still £5,000 short, so he told me 'We're washing cars until we get the money'.

I went home and got our other car. After hours of washing cars the car wash team of men and women were wet and must have been tired, but there was no dampening in the enthusiasm for the task because of their purpose.

I was told this was their eleventh building project. 'We just love going and making the difference for these kids', said the man collecting the money.

By the time you read this, they'll be on their way, hopefully with the funds to complete the job.

So next time you see the charity car wash fire fighters waving their sponge at you, call in for a fast, cheery service, a spotless car and the knowledge that you've helped them to turn these children's lives around.